Envelope



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NVENTOR l BY y f AT OREY July 9, 1940- E. B. BERKowl-rz' 2,207,142

v ENVELOPE Filed Maroh`10f, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 n tgl.' N N IE I MMATTOR'NEY Patented July 9, 1940 ENVELOPE Eugene B. Berkowitz, KansasCity, Mo., assignor to Berkowitz Envelope Company, Kansas City, Mo., acorporation of Delaware Application March 10,1939, Serial N0. 260,969

Claims.' (Cl. 229-72) tached compartment that is adapted to be sealed.

In envelopes of this character the latter compartment is of smaller sizeand is applied to a face wall of the larger compartment with the sealingiiap spaced inwardly from the edges of the larger compartment. When theenclosures are placed in the larger compartment and the smallercompartment sealed, it is extremely diicult to open the sealed flap ofthe smaller compartment for the reason that the contents in the largercompartment renders the envelope extremely rigid and there isinsuiiicient lexure thereof to permit ready entrance of an opening toolunder the tightly sealed flap of the smaller compartment.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention toprovide an envelope of this character constructed to facilitate openingof the sealing flap of the smaller compartment.

In accomplishing this and other objects of the invention, as hereinafterpointed out, I have provided improved details of structure, thepreferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of an envelope constructed in accordancewith the present in- '35 vention, the closure flaps of the respectivecompartments being closed to retain their respective contents.

Fig. 2 is a similar perspective View of the envelope prior to closing ofthe flaps ofthe re- 40 spective compartments, parts of the envelopestructure being broken away to better illustrate construction thereof.

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the envelope showing the closure flap ofthe largercompartment opened for inspection of the contents, and

illustrating a portion of the smaller compart' ment broken away and insection.

Fig. 4 is a cross-section through the envelope d on the line 4 4 ofFig. 1. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the envelope illustratingopening of the sealing flap of the smaller compartment.

Referring more in detail to the drawings: I designates an envelopehaving a compartment 2 which is formed from a blank of foldable materialto provide front and back walls 3 and d, the front wall being formed byflaps 5 and 6 having overlapping edges 1 `andl 8 secured together in theprocess of manufacture of the envelope by sealing gum 9, the overlappedpor-v 51' tions providing the seam on the longitudinal median line ofthe envelope. One end of the compartment is closed by a ap IIJ formed aspart of the back wall d and sealed over the ends of the flaps 5 and 6.compartment has an insert opening II which is adapted to be closed by aflap I2 also formed as a part `of the back Wall 4 and foldable over theflaps 5 andl forming the front wall.

In orderto secure the flap I2so that it may l5; be readily opened forpostall inspection of the contents, a ilexible fastening element such asa string I3 is attached to the flap I2 at a point in line with theoverlapped edges 'I and 8 of the flaps 5 and 6, the string beingpreferably se- 20A cured by wrapping an end thereof about an eyelet I4securing a button I6 that is anchored to the face side of the flap. Theeyelet extends through the flap and also attaches a reinforcing buttonI'I which cooperates With the button I6 25 forming a secure anchor forthe string.

Attached to the front wall of vthe envelope, adjacent the folded overclosure flap, is a button I8, the attachment being eiected by an eyeletI9 in the same manner as the button I6. 30

The string I3 is of suiiicient length so that when the iiap is closed itmay `be wrapped about the button I8, as shown in Fig. 1, and leave asufficient length to extend to adjacent the oppo.- site end of theenvelope. f

The smaller or rst class compartment I9 is also formed of a blank offlexible material having a rear Wall 20 provided with side and bottomflaps 2I, 22 and 23 which are sealed together at their ends by gum 24,as indicated in Fig. 3, in the manner of a conventional envelope. Thecompartment I9 has an insert opening 25 which is adapted to be closed bya sealing flap 26 extending from the rear wall 20 and provided withsealing gum 2'I so that after the enclosure has been inserted throughthe opening 25 the gum may be moistened and sealed to the front wallthat is formed by the flaps 2I, 22 and 23.

The flap 23 constitutes the addressing face of the envelope and forconvenience may be pro- 50 vided with `a Window opening 28 wherethroughthe printed address on the enclosure may be exposed so as to eliminatethe necessity of addressing the envelope. In the illustrated instancethe window opening 28 is shown as cov- 55 The opposite end of the 10'-ered by a transparent strip 29. The Smaller compartment is attached tothe front wall of the larger compartment by applying adhesive to theface of the rear wall 20 and effecting its seal against the underlyingportions of the iiaps 5 and E, the smaller compartment being arranged onthe larger compartment so that the fold line 30 of the sealing flap 2Eis in substantial registering alignment with the buttons I6 and I8 andin the space between the flap IIJ and the button I 8, as clearly shownin the drawings. With the scalable compartment in this position, thefree end of the string I3 is adapted to be extended along the fold line30 when the sealing flap is opened so that when the flap is folded andsealed to the ap 23, in retaining an enclosure, the free end of thestring lies thereunder with the terminal 3i projecting from the end ofthe ap opposite the button I8. The terminal end of the string may,therefore, be grasped and suincient lifting pressure applied to tearthrough the fold line of the seal flap as shown in Fig. 5.

Printed, or otherwise applied on the envelope, adjacent the button I8,is an instruction to the postmaster indicating that the portion 32 ofthe string which extends between the button E8 and the adjacent endl ofthe seal flap may be severed so that the string may be unwrapped fromthe button to allow opening of the closure flap of the largercompartment. The point of severance is preferably indicated by an arrow33 so that suiiicient string is left to facilitate unwinding from thebutton.

In using an envelope constructed and assembled as described, the catalogor other enclosure is inserted in the large compartment through theinsert opening I l The letter, invoice, or the like, is then folded andinserted in the smaller compartment so that the address thereon isvisible through a window 23. The flap i2. is then folded over to closethe insert opening l i and the string attached thereto is drawn taut andwrapped about the button I8. The free end of the string is then placedalong the fold line 3D of thesealing flap 2S so that the terminal endthereof projects beyond the sealing iiap. The gum. 2l is then moistenedand the flap folded on the line of fold over the string to seal againstthe flap 23 as shown in Fig. l..

When the envelope is received by the addressee, the sealed compartmentis readily opened by grasping the projecting end of the string anddrawing it through the folded edge of the sealing iiap as shown in Fig.5. The string is then unwound from the button I8 to release the closureflap of the larger compartment. Should the postal authorities desire toinspect the contents of the larger compartment, the string would havebeen out as indicated by the arrow 33 and unwound from the button I8,which leaves the severed end of the string under the sealed flap asshown in Fig. 3.

After inspecting the contents, that portion of string attached by thebutton i6 is again looped around the button i8 to close the flap I2.After inspection the portion of the string underlying the seal apremains serviceable for facilitating opening of the sealed compartmentby the addressee.

Attention is directed to the fact that the construction of the envelopecompartments may be varied in accordance with best envelopemanufacturing practices and that other construction may be resorted toWithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. An envelopeincluding a compartment for containing one class of postalmatter and having a closure flap for retaining said matter, acompartment attached to said rst compartment for containing a differentclass of postal matter and having a sealing flap provided with a foldspaced from the closure flap when said closure flap is closed, aiiexible member attached to said closure nap, and a button on theenvelope at a point intermediate said flaps for anchoringly retainingthe free end of the flexible member, said member being of sufficientlength to extend under the fold of said sealing fiap to effect severancethereof.

2. An .envelope including a compartment for containing one class ofpostal matter and having a closure flap for retaining said matter, abutton on the closure flap, a compartment attached to the firstcompartment for containing a different class of postal matter and havinga sealing iiap provided with a fold spaced from the boundaries of theclosure flap, a button carried by the envelope at a point between thefold line andv the closure flap, and a string adapted to connectsaidbuttons for retaining the closure ap and having length to extendunder said sealing iiap for effecting severance of said sealing flap.

3. An envelope of the character described having a closure flap, astring and button fastener for retaining the closure ap in closedposition, and means on said envelope forming a second compartment havinga sealing flap provided with a fold arranged in substantiallyregistering alignment with said string when secured to the button, saidstring being. of sufficient llength to extend completely along said foldline and leave an end by which the string may be grasped to effectseverance of said sealing Iiap.

4. An envelope of the character described having a closure ap, stringand button fastener for retaining the closure iiap in closed position,and means on said envelope forming an enclosure compartment having asealing flap spaced from said button and vhaving a fold line arranged insubstantially registering. alignment with said string when secured tothe button, said string being of sufficient length to extend completelyalong said fold line and leave an end by which the string may be graspedto effect severance of said sealing flap.

5.. An envelope of the character described having a closure flap, astring fastener on the closure flap, a cooperating string fastener onthe envelope spaced from the closure flap, means on said envelopeforming a second compartment having a seal flap provided with a foldline arranged on a line passing approximately through the cooperatingfastener, and a string connecting said fasteners and having a freeportion to underlie the sealing flap at said fold when said free portionis drawn taut from said cooperating fastener.

EUGENE B. BERKOWITZ.

